Chapter 7
Flourish and Blotts had been closed to the public, and when they entered the store, there were mix matched tables and chairs set up throughout to host the schools participating in the chess tournament along with a matchup board with all of the students names, along with a second with each school and the total number of wins.
“Iris,” Tulip turned to the blonde once they were inside. “Did you figure out how to get Badeea's set o cooperate with one another?”
“I did, and what's more I learned that it's the exact same secret to own own success here today.” Iris began. “Each of us has a unique approach to chess, and we need to embrace that difference if we wish to succeed here. Murphy is all theory, Badeea looks to the big picture, Tulip you think out of the box, and I take a more traditional route. If we all did the same thing the other teams would be able to pinpoint that weakness and destroy us in the first few rounds.”
“You're absolutely right, iris. I feel terrible that I almost broke up this team for not seeing that. Despite McGonagall's warning, I cracked under the pressure. Girls, please forgive me.” Murphy asked for each of their forgiveness, and they all muttered affirmations that he was forgiven.
“What matters is that we are all here together in the moment that counts the most.” Iris smiled to each of them.
“I'll say, and just in time for the tournament, too! I just-” Murphy stopped talking as the door opened. All the girls followed his gaze to see a group of rather all attractive students wander in. Specifically a golden brown haired girl in a blue tweed dress. Everyone suddenly went silent and there was muttering from corners of the store. “It's the Matagot of Wizard Chess! Celeine Castillon!” Murphy told the girls excitedly.
“That's the top ranked student player in the world?” Iris asked, and narrowed her eyes at Murphy who seemed to be awestruck.
“I imagined she would be taller.” Tulip gave Iris a knowing look and Iris just rolled her eyes.
“I don't think I've ever been so starstruck,” Murphy said airily and Iris nearly thumped the back of his head. “Not even when Ethan Parkin showed up to coach Gryffindor. I'm trying to calculate the odds of us taking on Celine's team and winning but my mind is drawing a blank.”
“Well I'm confident our team can beat Celine and her mates.” Iris said sternly, placing her hands on her hips, “we can achieve anything we set our minds to.”
“your confidence is inspiring, Iris! And you're absolutely 100% correct.” He beamed at her, but she was still a little irritated. “Our team has already come this far, let's take it all the way!” Just as he finished, Madam Villanelle ran a bell to gather everyone's attention. “Thankfully none of us have to compete against Celine, but I do have to face one of the players from Beauxbatons.” He explained, having already looked over the playing order. “Tulip you play against Uagadou, Badeea against Ivermorny, and Iris has to face Durmstrang.” Which he did not like because he saw just how strong and brawny they all were. “Good luck ladies.”
With that, they all found their respective opponents. Murphy peeked from the corner of his eye and witnessed Iris offering her hand to the Durmstrang boy for a handshake, but he nearly saw red when the young man took it, but instead of shaking he kissed the back of her hand.
Within minutes Murphy heard Celine declare-
“Check mate. My strategy ees' impeccable, eet' simply cannot be beat.” She said, and her opponent shook his head. Murphy though gave himself a pat on the back, because in less then ten moves he himself had his opponent in a check.
“Check mate.” Murphy cornered the boys King. Celine and Murphy were the first to topple their opponents, and Murphy looked over to watch his name exchange spots on the scoreboard, and for Hogwarts to be equal with Beauxbatons.
“Check mate.” Murphy heard Iris's sweet voice call out suddenly above the other voices. Just like that, Hogwarts moved above Beauxbatons. Murphy and Iris stood on the sidelines after their matches, and watched Badeea and Tulip in their matches. Murphy smiled when he saw the Queen on Badeea's board nearly jump for joy as the girl said-
“Check... Mate?” She asked more then stated, and the girl from Ivermony slap herself on the forehead.
“It is!” Murphy called out to Badeea who looked at him, then back at her board, then back at Iris and Murphy with a smile.
“Check mate!” She announced happily. As they watched Tulip's game, they soon realized that she was just toying with the girl she was playing. Murphy mimicked tapping a watch, and Tulip nodded, and within four moves, she was was announcing-
“that's check mate.”
“You were toying with me!”
“I was, and you fell for it.” She smiled.
Throughout the day, one by one, they managed to succeed in 24 of their 28 matches, Badeea loosing two, and then Tulip and Iris loosing 1 each. Murphy had managed to not loose one and he was ecstatic. That evening, over a celebration dinner at the Leaky Cauldron, Murphy filled “his” girls in.
“Great job today girls, we were nearly perfect!” He announced, pulling out the standings sheet. “We are going to be progressing to the final rounds tomorrow.”
“Brilliant! I was confident about our chances of winning the tournament, and now it's truly within our grasp.” Iris smiled, sipping on her tea.
“The way it's adding up it looks like we will have to face Uagadou and Durmstrang, and then if we make it past that... We will face Castillion and Beauxbatons.”
“We each beat our opponents from Uagadou, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang though, so that's good.”
“I lost one one my matches though against Durmstrang.” Badeea told her.
“And I lost mine against Beauxbatons.” Tulip mentioned pouring herself a cup of warm tea.
“What's more on that note,” Murphy stacked his papers, “I have some troubling news.”
“What's that?” Iris asked as the waitress came over with their plates of food. Murphy waited until the table was covered in the plates and bowls, before he continued.
“I was saying, I studied Celine's moves when I managed to finish before her, and I uncovered something disturbing about her strategy-”
“Oh sweet Merlin this is good.” Tulip mumbled as she shoved a spoonful of her food in her mouth.
“Celine is implementing the Dragon Variation of the Slytherin Defense.” Murphy finished. Iris finished chewing and asked,
“isn't that the rare and devastating strategy that Aberforth said he used to crush Brian Gagwilde?”
“One in the same, it's virtually unbeatable.” Murphy told her, and watched as Iris shrugged.
“Then we need to come up with a strategy to counter Celine's seemingly unbeatable technique and fast.” She stabbed at her dinner, “I wonder if Aberforth can help us, he's a master of the tactic so maybe he has a way to counter it?”
“Going to the Hogs Head Inn during the day is creepy enough, let alone at night.” Murphy huffed.
“But we don't have to compete in the wildcard rounds, we are already in the finals, technically our games don't start until after lunch.” Iris reminded him, “if we get up early enough and use the floo we could go see him, and try to figure out a way to beat it, and get back to Flourish and Blotts in time.”
Murphy almost kissed her square on the mouth right there in the middle of the restaurant.
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The next morning, bright and early, Murphy and the three girls floo'd to Hogsmead. Once in the Hog's Head, Murphy was delighted that there was virtually no one in the place so early in the morning.
“Back again, are we? If you're looking for more lost chess pieces, I'm afraid I can't help you this time.” Aberforth laughed as he cleaned up the bar.
“We aren't looking for chess pieces, we're actually looking for some help.” Iris explained to him. “We've made it to the final round in the tournament, but we are concerned about our opponent Celine Castillon, who happens to be the best student player in the world.”
“Celine is planning to use the Dragon Variation of the Slytherin Defense against us in the final rounds.” Murphy told him further.
“I see why you'd be concerned. As I told you last time, that strategy is not one to be trifled with, it's far too powerful.” He told them as Badeea and Tulip took a seat at the closest table.
“Well... We were hoping you'd teach us a way to counter her strategy?” Iris inquired to him with her kindest voice.
“I wish I could. But Unfortunately a counter to the Dragon Variation doesn't exist.” Aberforth told her.
“Aberforth is right, Iris. In all my reading, I've never come across an effective counter for it either.” Murphy moaned.
“Why don't we just... Invent one?” Badeea offered.
“You want to invent a counter strategy to the Dragon Variation of the Slytherin Defence?” Aberforth asked surprised.
“Yes?”
“Why not!” Iris encouraged.
“It's a delightfully mad plan, but I detect a 3.87% chance it may just work!”
“Then let's put our heads together and figure out a counter strategy they won't see coming!” Iris said enthusiastically.
So that's what they did, they pulled out a chess board from the bowels of the Hogs Head, blew off the dust, and went to work.
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“According to the Dragon Variation, Celine will castle Kingside in order to capture our most powerful pieces... But unlike Celine we will not overlook our pawns.” Murphy moved in the way to fullfill the Dragon Variation.
“So while she's distracted trying to capture our Queen on one side of the board... We will aggressively push our pawns forward on the other side, and capture... her King! Check mate.” Iris finished and looked up at him with a smile. Murphy looked down absolutely awestruck at the fact they had indeed made a move to counter the Dragon Strategy.
“I stand corrected, apparently a counter strategy to the Dragon Defense does exist after all.” Aberforth was astounded.
“Girls this is brilliant!” Murphy beamed up at Tulip, Badeea, and Iris. “I predict a 76.1% chance that it will work against Celine in the final round. But... Brilliant as it is, our strategy is missing one very important element.”
“What's that?” Tulip asked him.
“It's missing a name.”
“I think... That considering everything, Gagwilde's Return would be a great honor.” Iris suggested and both Tulip and Badeea nodded.
“I think Brian would very much appreciate that gesture, from the bottom of my heart, I heart I appreciate it too.” Aberforth told them, patting the center of his chest.
“We've come up with a promising strategy to counter the Dragon Variation, but now it's time to put it to the ultimate test.” Murphy told them. “Ready girls?”
“Ready!” The three of them smiled and told him happily.
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They made it back to Flourish and Blotts with little time to spare. Iris had to run back to the Inn and insisted that she change, because she had soot and floo powder on her. In truth, she was changing into another distraction dress, as Murphy called it. Murphy nearly hot the floor when he saw what Iris had chosen.
The pompom fridge black skirt. Instead of wearing the matching top though, she had instead went for a black slightly oversized sweater... And knee high boots.
What was funny, was that all the girls seemed to take a page out of that book. Badeea had changed into rather cutesy red dress, and golden silk hijab that complimented her eyes, along with having her makeup done. Tulip wore a Hogwarts sweater, but also noticed that she had some makeup on as well, not as much as Badeea and Iris, but some, along with adding a little curl into her hair.
The three girls walked ahead of him, heading to the store and he couldn't help but notice the glances that the three of them got, and while his heart belonged to Iris, he pelt himself feeling proud as a peacock because he had not just the smartest team, but he had the prettiest in his mind.
“I think I have the prettiest team in the competition.” He told them with a smile once inside Flourish and Blotts.
“Even better the Beauxbatons?” Tulip smirked.
“Even better then Beauxbatons, look,” he pointed towards the French team, who's two male competitors were looking the three girls up and down.
“See something you like boys?” Iris smiled, which made them turn red and look away quickly.
“Well, ladies, this is it! The moment we've all been waiting for, the final round of the tournament is about to begin!” Murphy prepared to give them a pep talk.
“Yes! I just hope the strategy that we invented will be enough to beat Celine and her team.” Badeea mentioned as Madam Villanelle passed out the matchup papers for the day. Murphy took it and then his face went white.
“Murphy? What's wrong?” Iris asked him, putting her hand on his shoulder.
“Iris... You'll be going against Celine Castillon.” He looked up at her. He had to admit, he was a little let down, he had hoped to have the honor of playing Celine. He shook off his disappointment and patted the back of her hand. “The Matagot and the curse breaker, a chess match that's not to be missed.” He smiled at her hoping he reassured her. “How do you feel?”
“Focused. I'll need to perform at my very best if I hope to unseat Celine from her throne.” Iris told him.
“You have all the tools to beat her, Iris. Just keep your head in the game, and you'll do great.” Murphy encouraged her. “You do your best to beat Celine, and while you're doing that, we'll do our part to take down the rest of her team.”
“Sounds like a perfect plan, Murphy... Now let's go out there and play our hearts out.”
“We can win this thing Iris! I know it in my heart.” Tulip clapped her hands on Iris's shoulders, shaking her lightly.
“If we do win, I know what my next painting is going to be.” Badeea smiled.
“Bring it in ladies,” Murphy held his hand out in the middle of them, and each of the girls laid a hand over his. “Hogwarts!”
“Hogwarts!” Their voices followed after him as they looked to find their respective partners. Iris was directed to go to the extra large main board in the middle, where Celine had been playing most of her games. Murphy did his best to get his game over with as quickly as he could, but in doing so it caused him to make a few mistakes that cost him time.
As soon as he was done, he wheeled over to watch Iris and Celine play each other. Iris was quiet, and seemed very focused while Celine looked extremely confident... Almost an arrogant air about her. Badeea came over and tapped Murphy on the shoulder,
“how's she doing?”
“Good, she's keeping very level headed.” Murphy explained to her. “Did you win?”
“I did!” She told him excitedly, but not loudly.
“Good, so did I!” Tulip announced, crossing her arms and plopping them ontop of Murphy's head. “What about you, saucebox?” She asked.
“I happened to as well.” He assured them, not even bothering to push Tulip off of him. In fact, he found the fact that she and Badeea seemed to be so comfortable around him now very endearing. “Celine is playing right into her hands, Iris just need to keep pressing her.” Murphy whispered to Badeea and Tulip.
Then, Celine made the fatal error and it was everything in his power not to shout in excitement.
“Ha! Now zat' I have captured your precious Queen, ze end of zis games ees nearly upon us.” Celine smirked.
“You're right.” Iris nodded, and moved her last pawn into play. “Checkmate.” The look on Celine's face was nothing but shock.
“What? Ze Dragon Defense cannot be beat! Zis ees simply not possible!” Celine stomped, pointing a accusing finger at Iris. “You cheeted'!”
“I did not. You only use the Dragon Variation so my team came up with a counter strategy.” Iris explained to her, putting her hands on her hips.
“But eet' doesn't ave' one!”
“It does now!”
“Judges! Judges, check her! I believe zhe' cheeted'!” Celine shouted to the judges.
“Miss Castillon we watched the entire game, Miss Rosewood never cheated, she simply tried a different strategy.” Madam Villanelle told her, but the young French girl shook her head.
“No! Zhe' must have cheeted'. Zere' iz' no way that anyone can beat the Dragon Variation!”
“Look, Miss Priss.” Iris shook her finger at her, and looked Celine dead in the eyes, “there's no cheating. You lost fair and square. You can either do that with grace and respect or you can ruin your name and be known as the temper tantrum queen.” The look between the two girls was deadly, and Murphy enjoyed every moment of it. He could already see the piece he was going to write for the Hogwarts gazette.
There was more words exchanged, and Celine and Beauxbatons implored the judges to go over the game again. Murphy nearly blew a gadget when the judges actually indulged her and had the pieces go back and go through the game again, watching for any sort of foul play involved on either side.
None of course was found, and finally they called Iris the true winner of the match... Much to the dismay and fit of Celine. Honestly his admiration for Celine fell away the moment that he saw just what a hissy fit that she threw when she lost. Iris watched her meltdown with nothing but pity and disgust, and Murphy felt the same. The blonde walked over to where Murphy, Badeea, and Tulip stood and just shook her head.
“It is with great pleasure that we award Hogwarts with the Wizarding Chess Trophy.” One of the lead male judges announced as he handed the trophy over to them. “Finishing with a 28 out of thirty two wins. Congratulations.” All four of them were able to put their hands on the trophy, and smile for pictures from the press. It was all exhilarating and Murphy beamed with pride.
“Gagwilde's return worked beautifully, Iris. It's a true underdog story if I've ever heard one, but we actually pulled it off! I'd say this calls for a celebration!” Murphy smiled. “Drinks on me at the Three Broomsticks!”